


All Souls' Night

by skaoi



Category: Lucifer (TV)
Genre: A lot - Freeform, And Swarovski crystals, And maybe chiffon, And velvet shoes, Chloe KNOWS, Chloe is Cinderella, F/M, Gen, He's an ass-kisser, How many tags can I mangle?, I know it's late, I'm a whore for silk brocade, It rambles, Just Luci's pride, Linda helps, Lucifer IS The Lord of Hell, Lucifer holds court, Maze is a good friend, No Chickens Were Harmed, Or roosters, Skaoi loves textiles, Summer Deckerstar Exchange 2017, The Marquis de Sade makes an appearance, We keep forgetting, i have no idea what this is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-22
Updated: 2017-10-22
Packaged: 2019-01-21 09:37:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,363
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12454593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skaoi/pseuds/skaoi
Summary: Lucifer chuckles, “No, dear.  Not THAT kind of party.  Really, I think you might enjoy it.  Come for at least a bit?  Perhaps Daniel might babysit your spawn?”She smirks, “It’s not babysitting when the father does it Lucifer.  It’s still called ‘parenting’.”He waves her off again, “Regardless, you should come.  And in costume, of course.”Chloe shoots him a look, “Uh huh.  And exactly what sort of costume would be appropriate for this party?  Leather?  Bondage gear?”The Devil looks positively intrigued now, “If you wish, certainly.  Anything goes for the guests, of course.  I, however, will be in black tie.”It’s the detective’s turn to be curious, “Black tie?  Are you wearing a mask or....?” she asks.He gives a small shrug, “Let’s just call it “or” and leave it that, shall we?”  He smiles eagerly, “You’ll come?”





	All Souls' Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [titC](https://archiveofourown.org/users/titC/gifts).



> Over the summer, our dear TitC gave me a picture prompt as part of the Summer Deckerstar Summer Exchange. I've no clue how to attach pictures, but it's a tailor-sitting skeleton holding an hourglass. It's creepy and hilarious all at once. I love it.
> 
> I have wracked my brain with what to do with this (literally for MONTHS) and finally hit upon it a couple of weeks ago with the wonderful help of IceQueen1 and flutterflap. Love you darlings! Seriously could not have dragged this out of my head without you.
> 
> Title from Loreena McKennitt

The sun rises at 7:12 a.m. on October 31, 2017.  Lucifer’s eyes open as slowly as the smile simultaneously creasing his face.

All Souls Day.  

He fills his lungs then exhales at the same leisurely pace.  Less than twelve hours until the festivities begin.  A languid stretch starts between his shoulderblades, travels down his spine, then his legs, and ends at his feet.  Long toes wiggle happily as he sighs.  

So much to do.  He rolls to his side and reaches for the cell phone on the bedside table.  Maze has already started her day.

_Amenadiel’s sniffing around.  What do you want me to tell him?_

Lucifer smirks and thumbs back:   _Invite him._

 _You’re_ <poop emoji> _me._   <shocked emoji>

 _I_ <poop emoji> _you not, Maze.  Do it._   <Devil emoji>

 _Fine_ , comes the reply.

He chuckles as he imagines her irritated huff then returns an emoji with a cheeky grin.  Maze has been up all night already, preparing Lux.  Dealing with humans and logistics always makes her cranky, so he sends several more emojis for good measure.

Happy with the seemingly brilliant start to his day, The Lord of Hell fairly bounces out of bed and heads to the shower.

~*~*~*~*~*~

Chloe smiles as her partner approaches then plunks himself into the chair next to her desk, “Hey,” she greets him.

“Good morning, Detective,” he begins cheerily.

Her grin widens, “You’re chipper this morning.  Nice night with The Brittanies?”

Lucifer chuckles, “No, nothing of the sort, really.  I spent the evening preparing for tonight’s revel.”

The detective frowns, “Revel?  I thought there’s always a party at Lux.”

He waves her off, “Of course, darling, but tonight is a special occasion to celebrate the holiday.”

Chloe looks at him in confusion.  “Holiday?  Lucifer, Halloween was a couple of days ago.”

Lucifer’s eyes sparkle merrily, “Indeed!  Today is All Souls’ Day, Detective.”  He continues when she still looks confused, “Last day of Dia de los Muertos?”

“Ooooh,” she responds while she nods.  “Right.  Sorry, I wasn’t thinking about that.”  She gestures for him to continue, “So, a big party tonight?”

His smile almost lights the room, “Yes!  You should come.  It’s the one night of the year when....well....let’s just say Maze and I let our figurative hair down along with a number of our...associates.”

The detective snickers, “Let your hair down?  You and Maze aren’t exactly known for having your hair _up_.  Not sure I want to know how out of control things can get with you two.”

He smirks, “There’s a great deal of control, actually, darling.  You should come see for yourself.”

Chloe puts her hands up and shakes her head, “Oh.  THAT kind of party.  Yeah...no.  Thanks for asking but I’m not...”

Lucifer chuckles, “No, dear.  Not THAT kind of party.  Really, I think you might enjoy it.  Come for at least a bit?  Perhaps Daniel might babysit your spawn?”

She smirks, “It’s not babysitting when the father does it Lucifer.  It’s still called ‘parenting’.”

He waves her off again, “Regardless, you should come.  And in costume, of course.”

Chloe shoots him a look, “Uh huh.  And exactly what sort of costume would be appropriate for this party?  Leather?  Bondage gear?”

The Devil looks positively intrigued now, “If you wish, certainly.  Anything goes for the guests, of course.  I, however, will be in black tie.”

It’s the detective’s turn to be curious, “Black tie?  Are you wearing a mask or....?” she asks.

He gives a small shrug, “Let’s just call it “or” and leave it that, shall we?”  He smiles eagerly, “You’ll come?”

She pauses thoughtfully, “I’m...not sure.  What sort of “associates” are you talking about?”

A dark eyebrow arches in her direction and her eyes widen in understanding.  “Oh!”  Chloe rubs the back of her neck and looks down, her posture shifting uncomfortably, “I...um....I don’t know, Lucifer.”  She looks around the precinct to make sure nobody can hear her.  “I mean...you and Maze are one thing, but...”

Lucifer leans in close enough that she can feel his warmth but not so close that she feels crowded, “Oh, come on, Detective,” he cajoles.  “It’ll be fun.  It’s a once-a-year thing.  Maze and I will both be there.  You’ll be perfectly safe.”  He encroaches just a touch more and lowers his voice to a purr, “Aren’t you the tiniest bit curious?”

She shivers as his voice drips into her ears and down her spine.  She could say she’s not curious, but he’d know she’s lying.  “Will there be any other...um....”

“Humans?” he finishes helpfully then shrugs.  “Perhaps a few.  Definitely in the minority.”  he bumps her shoulder with a conspiratorial grin, “Come on, darling.  See how the other half lives.”

Finally, she smiles and nods, “Alright.  I can swing by for a little bit.”  She pauses as his face practically splits open to reveal all his teeth in the biggest grin she’s ever seen.  “But, I’m not sure what to do about a costume.  What do you suggest?”

Lucifer’s smile turns almost shy, “I’d be happy to send something over for you, Detective,” he replies.  He quickly continues as she opens her mouth, “Something tasteful, of course.  Trust me?” he asks quietly as his gaze slides over her.

Chloe feels a blush stealing over her cheeks as she smiles in response, “Okay, fine.”

He leans in and reaches forward to finger a lock of her blonde hair as his eyes scan her face.  After a long moment, he gives a small nod as if he’s come to some decision.  “Lovely.  I shall have something sent over early this afternoon.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Uncertain as to what time she’s expecting her costume to arrive, Chloe arranges to work from home during the afternoon.  Early afternoon approaches and she finds herself pacing nervously and entirely too distracted to concentrate.  

The past month has gone by in a whirlwind of life-altering discoveries.  Finding out that Dan does improv was a huge shock.  When you know someone so intimately, you develop assumptions about who they are and the trajectory any potential growth will take.  It never occurred to her that he, of all people, would willingly risk himself in such away.  Risk rejection. Ridicule.  Yet...there he was.  Getting on a stage and putting himself out there.  

It sparked something inside her.  Something light and hopeful that she hasn’t felt stirring in a long time.   _Maybe I can try some new things, too_ , she realized.

Then Maze came home from Canada.  Softer somehow.  Warmer.  More...settled.  At the welcome home dinner at their apartment, Chloe noticed the demon casting shy glances at Linda.  Sometimes those glances here returned with a warm look from the therapist.  Sometimes, it was a light touch on the arm.  Stroke of a lock of hair.  Each response from the blonde woman seemed to loosen something in her dark-skinned roommate.  Even Lucifer, king of “it doesn’t affect me, so it doesn’t exist,” noticed.

And finally, speaking of kings.  The revelation that Lucifer is, indeed, The Lord of Hell Himself.  Embarrassing how that happened, really.  He’d gone home after a day on a case, clearly distracted and whining that his back hurt.  With a mumble about man-scaping, he stalked off to his Corvette and sped away.  It would have been fine except he had her car keys.  They’d fallen out of her coat pocket and he picked them up off the ground.  Things got hectic and she forgot.

She called an Uber for a ride to Lux.  The elevators opened and she stepped into the apartment.  As the detective stepped past the piano, she called out to her partner, the last syllable leaving her mouth as she spied him on the balcony.

With wings.  He turned quickly, his tone stressed, “Detect...!”

She remembers the feeling of being shut down, like watching a computer monitor wink out.  

Click.  

Black.  

Gone.  

She had to rely on other accounts of the rest for what happened after that.

Lucifer apparently scooped her off the floor, put her in his bed, then called Maze and Linda.  The therapist explained the Hellions were understandably concerned but she informed them that, sometimes, humans need to forcibly re-set themselves, and typically that presents itself as fainting.

Linda re-assured Lucifer he probably hadn’t broken her, and stopped Maze from permanently removing other parts of his anatomy in retaliation.  After an hour or so, Chloe roused to find herself wrapped up in cozy blankets on Lucifer’s bed.  Upon hearing her groan, Linda ushered the others to the kitchen so they would be out of sight, then she climbed the steps to sit down next to the detective.

“How do you feel, Chloe?” she asked gently.

The detective rubbed the throbbing spot at her temple, “Hung over.”  She blinked, “What happened?”

Linda’s mouth drew into a thin line, “Lucifer...um...happened.”

Chloe felt a cold sensation creep from her chest into her feet, quickly followed by heat.  Sweat beaded on her forehead and she scowled, her gaze unfocused for a moment.  A soft breath huffed out.  Then another.  She nodded, instantly regretting it, then sat up more properly in the bed before looking at the smaller blonde woman sitting next to her.

“Did I see....wings?” she asked quietly.

The therapist nodded as she watched the detective closely, “You did.”

Chloe bit her lip and nodded, wincing again.  “Right,” she said quietly.  “Wings.  Huge.  White.  Fluffy.  Wings.”  

She snickered, “like a giant chicken.”

From the other side of the apartment, she heard an indignant, “I am NOT a chicken, detective!”

She grinned at Linda, “Rooster?  ‘Cause I’m pretty sure he cocked that up big time.”

Linda chuckled and Maze howled with laughter from across the apartment as heavy footsteps announced Satan’s arrival.  His eyes were wide, his brows down and his mouth drawn down in irritation, “I very much beg your pardon, but _who_ , exactly, barged into _my_ flat whilst I was grooming?”

He adjusted his jacket and growled softly, “I’ll not be insulted in my own home, thank you very much.”  He pointed toward her, “And while you recover in MY bed, no less!  Bloody lot of thanks I get for seeing to your comfort.”  Insult decried, he turned on his heel and stalked to the bar.

Recovering from her laughter, Linda smiled, “Can I get you something to drink, Chloe?”

The detective smiled, “Yeah, thanks.”

As the therapist stood up, Lucifer appeared behind her, glass in hand.  He shoots the smaller woman a look, “May I?”  

Linda looked at Chloe, who nods in agreement, “It’s okay.  Thanks.”  She scooted forward on the bed as Lucifer sat down and handed the glass to her.

The lines around his eyes were drawn tight and his jaw was tense.  He swallowed heavily, “Are you truly alright, darling?” he asked softly.

She reached out to run her hand along his arm and smiled, “I’m truly alright, Lucifer.  It wasn’t that big of a shock to find out you’re really...um....you know.”  She pointed toward his back, “Just wasn’t expecting wings.”  She frowned, “I thought you cut them off...”

The rest of the evening was spent talking to the three of them.  Asking questions, getting clarifications and translations run through the therapist.  It wasn’t the last such Q&A session, either.

After a couple of weeks of questions from out of the blue, Lucifer began to relax with the knowledge that his friendship with the detective was actually going to weather her being In The Know.  He began to trust.  

And so did she.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Chloe’s phone buzzes, drawing her from her reverie, and she pounces on it, issuing a growl of frustration to see it’s only Dan reporting that he’s picked up Trixie and they are heading out for dinner.  She stops herself from throwing the phone and tells them to have a good time instead.

The detective heads to the kitchen for a glass of water and is startled by the doorbell ringing.  Water splashes on her shirt and she shakes her head with a self-deprecating smile.   _Of course._

The messenger hands her a large box, and two smaller ones.  He provided shoes, too?  She tips the messenger and he goes on his way.

Chloe sets the packages down on her couch and cautiously lifts the lid on the larger box, certain The Devil has sent over some leather creation that she wouldn’t be caught dead in.  

She’s rarely been so happy to be wrong.  Her jaw drops in surprise while her hand reaches to cover her mouth.  Shaking hands reach to pull the dress out so she can get a better look at it.

Yards of midnight-blue silk float as she lifts it up by the shoulders.  The lines of the dress are simple and elegant.  It seems to be a basic sheath with an extra layer of chiffon, lightly crusted with small Swarovski crystals.  The effect is that of a night sky sprinkled with stars and she feels her breath stolen away.  As she examines the gown further, she realizes that it has no back and there’s a slit to above the knee to allow for movement, but it’s still surprisingly tasteful.  She nods in approval, _Well done, Lucifer_.

Encouraged, she reaches for one of the other packages.  Clearly a shoebox.  Inside rests a pair of moderately-high, platform heels, covered in velvet dyed the same midnight blue as the gown.  She can’t resist stroking the fabric for a moment before slipping them on.  Chloe blushes as she walks around the room, how did he know my shoe size?  These are perfect.  She turns a bit around her living room, feeling rather like Cinderella.

As she spins, her eyes land on the third box.  Curious, she lifts the lid to find a mask.  Or, half a mask, at least.  The detective cocks her head as she lifts it out.   _How very Phantom of the Opera_ , she thinks to herself while she examines it.  She realizes there’s no elastic to hold it on and looks in the box again.  She finds a small tube of glue used for movie prosthetics and nods, _I can work with this._

She hefts the packages and goes upstairs to get ready.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lucifer hums to himself as he pads into his closet after his shower.  A soft black towel is slung around his hips and he reaches for his tuxedo.  He takes a moment to finger the ebony silk and smiles as he admires the brocade pattern of the tailcoat then turns to his selection of vests.   _Maze always wears red to The Revel and I’ve sent blue for The Detective_ , he muses.  Deciding without thinking too much on it, he reaches for a silk aubergine vest and complementary tie.

He takes his time dressing and is surprised when the elevator chime announces a visitor.  Lucifer steps from his bedroom to see Mazikeen entering the apartment.  The red leather of her dress hugs her curves before ending high on her thigh.  An inch or so below the hem of her dress, her legs are encased in thigh-high, red leather stilettos boots.  Black leather cuffs adorn her wrists, a match to the whip hanging at her hip.  

Lucifer feels a flash of heat scour through his body as he remembers some of their not-so-distant past together.  Smiling happily, he steps forward to greet her with a peck on the cheek, “Darling, you look wonderful.  Are you ready?”

Hell’s Best Torturer reaches to the small of her back and removes her blades then twirls them with a flourish before putting them away again, “I’m always ready, Lucifer,” she grins mischievously.  She cocks her head, “You usually can’t wait for this night to be over.  What’s up?”

Satan’s grin hijacks his face as he strolls past her toward the bar.  Instead of answering immediately, he pours a pair of drinks.  He finally answers as he offers one to her, “The Detective is coming, Maze.”

The demon’s dark eyes widen in surprise.  “Granny Panties Decker is coming to The Revel?  Does she know what this is?”

Lucifer shrugs, “I told her.  Sort of.”  He blinks, “Hold on.  You’ve seen her lingerie?”

Maze smirks then tosses her drink back in one go.  She sets the glass firmly down on the bar, the sound of the heavy glass bottom making the statement for her while she gives him That Look.

He leans back from her, a hand raised in a placating gesture, “If I’d told her, she wouldn’t come and...”

“You want her to _see_ ,” Maze finishes for him.

He sinks onto a barstool and sips his whiskey without responding.

Maze walks around, her eyes seeing him in a different light.  “You want her to....know....you.”

“I want her to _understand_ ,” he corrects through gritted teeth.

The demon shrugs and continues her pacing, “Are you ready for what this ‘understanding’ will bring?”

Dark eyes flare in irritation, “She already _knows_ , Mazikeen.”  His voice sharpens in frustration as he glares at her.  “She’s interrogated us both, rather thoroughly, I might add, and reports she is satisfied that nothing has truly changed from the status quo.  I’m still an unspeakably attractive club-owner-cum-civilian-consultant with more money than I could possibly spend, and you’re still a rather grumpy and put-out bounty hunter with a penchant for knives and secret handshakes with small humans.”

“ _One_ small human,” Maze clarifies.

He rolls his eyes and mumbles, “Thank Father for that,” the shoots her a look.  “Is my brother coming?”

Maze shakes her head, “No.  He said something about the gates needing extra vigilance tonight.”

He finishes his drink, “How noble of him.  Just as well.  Don’t want him spoiling our fun, yeah?”  He stands then gestures toward the elevator, “Shall we?”

Maze gives him a long look as she stalks into the elevator, then sighs in resignation, “Fine.”  She raises a dangerous finger to his face and points, the nail stops shy of scratching his cheek as he steps into the compartment and pushes the button, “But if she kicks me out of the apartment, you’re buying me a new place,” she growls.

“She wouldn’t,” he scoffs.

She raises her eyebrows, a silent ‘oh, wouldn’t she?’ written clearly on her face.

The doors open and they see that Lux has already filled to capacity.

“Very well,” he grumbles then gestures for her to exit the elevator, “Are you quite finished now?  Shall we greet our guests?”

The demon smirks as she takes his arm, allowing half her face to melt away, “We shall.”

Lucifer smiles brilliantly as they walk to the bar.  A skeleton is seated on the black granite, tailor-sitting, with a large hourglass nestled in its lap.  The Devil allows his glamour to slide away as he turns the timepiece to start the sand.  “Let the party begin, darling.”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The Uber driver pulls right up to Lux and lets Chloe out.  She is surprised the typical line to get in is absent and asks the valet about it.  He shrugs and points at the door, “Private party tonight.  Invitation only.  Boss said to let you in, though, so go ahead.”

She swallows heavily as she nods, “Thanks, William.”  A nervous hand pushes a lock of hair behind her ear as she pushes open the door.

The first thing she notices is the darkness.  It takes a moment for her eyes to acclimate to the low light provided by candles, the fireplace, and spots of light sparkling on the ceiling.  The usual strobing party lights, video screens, and globe bulbs are turned off.  Candle-lit lanterns line the stairs to guide guests down to the floor.

The second thing she notices is the music.  It’s soft and elegant.  A far cry from the usual primal, thumping beat regularly running through the club’s speakers.  As her eyes adjust, she sees pairs and trios of musicians sprinkled around the room playing various instruments.

She blinks as she realizes the only obvious uses of electricity seem to be the lights shining like stars in the black ceiling and the air conditioning.  A bucket of ice is on each table, seemingly filled with bottles of.... _water?_

Finally, her eyes fully adjust and she finds Lucifer.  It would be impossible to miss him.  One side of the bar has been reworked to accommodate a dais with a large upholstered bench.  Lucifer is seated on the bench, talking to another...man?  

Chloe’s breath catches as she takes in her partner’s appearance.  He showed his “Hell persona” to her over a week ago and she’s still getting used to it.  It’s a perfect counterpoint to the giant angels’ wings sprouted from the back of his black tuxedo.  

Careful to not stare too long, she shakes her head then scans the crowd for Maze.  It’s slightly more difficult to find the demon in the dark crowd of other obviously not-human inhabitants, but her eye is finally caught by a flash of red leather.  Half Maze’s face is ripped away and the sight of her laughing merrily at whatever her companion said is unsettling.

Just as Chloe takes a deep breath and begins her descent into the club, Lucifer turns and sees her.  

He politely offers his right hand to stop his guest, “Let’s continue this a little later, shall we?”  

The forgotten demon nods and drops a quick kiss on Satan’s ring, “Of course, my Lord.”

Lucifer stands to watch her, his eyes wide and his jaw slack as he feels his breath catch in his throat.

 _Oh Father, what hast thou wrought?_ He wonders to himself.   _I shall go willingly to my end._  

He swallows hard, Adam’s apple bobbing above the knot of his tie as he struggles valiantly to keep himself in check.

As the Detective steps onto the club floor, Maze is instantly at her side, carving a path through the crowd.  To a one, they have turned to take in the vision that has so captured their Lord’s attention.

Chloe blushes and turns to her friend, speaking out of the side of her face that isn’t covered by the mask, “Why are they staring, Maze?” she asks nervously.

The demon waves her off, “Don’t worry about it, Decker.   They’re always excited to see another human that knows and seems okay with it.”

The detective looks around and sees a handful of humans in the group, “Doesn’t look like there are many.”

Maze’s grin expands, becoming more grotesque, “There aren’t.”  She points at Lucifer, “And you’re the first one that HE has invited.”

Chloe stops, pulling her roommate’s arm to stop her, “Does that...mean...something?  Like, something I should know about?” she asks as she tries to stop her voice from shaking.

Maze smirks at her, “What do YOU think it means, Decker?”  She gives the human an elevator look then cocks her head.  Classic ‘pull your head out of your ass.’  “What do you want it to mean?”

The detective looks up at the dais and sees Lucifer still standing there, watching her approach.  He’s every inch the polite host, waiting for a special guest, but as her eyes catch his, she realizes...he’s struck.  

Chloe’s blue gaze slides over him again and she takes in more details as he steps down to meet her.  The line of his shoulders, his eyes slightly wider than usual.  He swallows heavily again and the corners of his lips haven’t yet decided the flavor of his smile.

 _He’s nervous_ , she realizes with a soft smile.  In spite of the somewhat unfamiliar terrain of his face like this, she can see the tightness in his smile.  For all their otherworldly appearance, his eyes still reflect his uncertainty as he reaches for her hand.  Lashless eyelids close as he brushes a kiss across her knuckles, “Thank you for coming, Detective,” he purrs.

She blushes furiously as she looks around, mindful of the many eyes on them, “Am I supposed to curtsey or something?” she asks with a nervous chuckle.

He flashes a broad grin as he opens his eyes to look at her, “Absolutely not, darling,” he replies.  He relocates her hand to his arm and proceeds to lead her through the crowd toward the bar.  Along the way, he notices the music has stopped, so he catches the attention of his maestro, “Carry on!” he calls, and the music begins again.

Chloe looks around nervously and the grip on his arm grows tighter, “Why are they staring at us, Lucifer?”

He smiles as he eyes travel over her then he steps closer.  She blushes but doesn’t retreat, deciding instead to look up and smile back.  A large warm hand splays across her bare back as he leans in, “Because you, my dear, are stunning.”  His warm breath on her ear sends a delicious shiver down her spine.

The detective strokes the lapel of his tailcoat, admiring the softness of the silk between her fingers, “Funny, I was going to say the same thing.”

Lucifer draws back, his smile shifting from sultry to delighted surprise, “Indeed?”  Eyebrows go up as he gives her an elevator look, “In that case, Detective, would you care to dance?”  The hand at her back draws her close enough to feel the heat of his body along the length of hers.  She’s aware of the increase in her heart-rate and is fairly certain he is as well.

 _Maybe I can try new things,_ she reminds herself before she nods.  “I would,” she replies as she twines her fingers with his, taking care to brush against him while leading him to join several other couples on the floor.  The dance is very structured and reminds Chloe of things she’s seen in movies.  The music has a very specific cadence and the movements of the participants in the dance are very precise.  After a couple of rounds, the detective is able to keep up without much trouble at all.

Hours later, leaving Lucifer to conduct business, Chloe is sitting with Maze behind the bar, watching.  The detective watches Maze toss back yet another shot of top-shelf and she frowns.  The demon scowls at her, “What?”

Chloe points in the general direction of Maze’s mangled face, “When you eat or drink something, how does the food and stuff not come out of the side of your face?”

Maze just looks at her for a long moment then shrugs, “I dunno, Decker.  Never thought about it.  Why do you ask such weird questions?”

The blonde woman tosses back her own shot, “I just do.”  She snickers, “Part of my charm.”

The demon laughs, “Right.  Charm.”

Chloe laughs as well then gestures around the room, “So, what’s the deal with this party?  Why are the....um.....demons only drinking water?  The humans with them are sure hitting the bar, but...”

Maze shrugs again, “No water in Hell.  Crazy luxurious.”

Blue eyes widen in understanding, “Oh, so it’s like champagne to......us?”

“Yeah, but without the bad behavior and hangover that usually comes with it,” Maze agrees.

Chloe points at the dance floor where more couples have taken up the dance, “What’s with that?” she asks.

Maze nods again, “Hell is pretty chaotic.  Unpredictable and constantly filled with screaming and noise.  You can try, but it’s bitchin’ hard to impose any sort of order on it.  Part of what makes it “Hell,” ya know?”  She points at the couples stepping through the dance, “the music and the accompanying motions are....measured.  Prescribed and followed.  There is structure and order.  Control.”

Chloe blinks as she remembers her earlier conversation with Lucifer.   _There’s a great deal of control, actually, darling._

Her eyes move to take in the scene up on the dais.  Lucifer is seated and a large, male demon approaches.  He kneels to kiss Lucifer’s ring, then Satan takes his hands and invites him to join him on the bench.  Lucifer smiles and nods as he runs his hand along the demon’s arm, clearly pleased to be chatting with this particular fellow.

“So, what’s he doing up there?” Chloe asks Maze.

“Sometimes he’s making deals,” comes the reply.  “Sometimes it’s just catching up.”  She points, “He and the Marquis have a bit of history.  Lucifer found him a couple of hundred years ago and made a deal, then put him in charge of a wing when he landed in Hell.”  She tosses back another shot then sneers derisively, “Always been an ass-kisser, that one.  And I don’t mean look him up when you want a good rim job.  You have to watch him.”

Chloe shudders, “Gross.”  Then she blinks, “Wait.  Marquis?  Like...Marquis de Sade?”

“Yep,” comes the unimpressed reply.  “He takes credit for stuff I’ve been doing for millenia.  But whatever.  Lucifer sees him for what he really is.  A resource that will wither away once expended.”

The detective frowns, “What do you mean?”

Maze rolls her eyes, “His soul, Decker.  It’ll get used up eventually.  It’s what happens when we make demons out of humans.  Inevitable, really.”

Chloe looks at Maze, “What about you?  You’ve been around for....what...ever?  Will you ever get....um...you know...?”

The demon shrugs, “Don’t know.  I was created a demon, here in Hell, from Adam’s first wife Lilith.  I don’t have a soul to use up, so....maybe not?”  She looks bored with the conversation, “Hasn’t happened yet, so I’m not going to worry about it.  And if it does happen, I’ll be gone and won’t care then, either.”

The detective shakes her head, trying not to overly process what her life has become.  Sitting in a club filled with demons, doing shots with Hell’s Primo Torturer, watching Satan Himself holding court.

Maze looks over at Chloe, “Hey, you alright, Decker?”

The blonde woman nods, then yawns, “Yeah, it’s just been a long day.”

Maze nods in agreement, “It’s probably later than you’re used to staying up.  What time is it anyway?”  She looks over at the hourglass and is surprised to see how quickly the time has gone by.  The bottom is almost full of sand.  

“Oh.”

Raising two fingers to her lips, she lets out a sharp whistle, forcing Chloe to cover her ears before glaring at her.

The music stops as all eyes turn in her direction.  

“Time!” the demon calls.

On the dais, Lucifer nods and stands to address the group.  He spreads his arms and his brilliant white wings mirror the action.

“With that, my darlings, it is the conclusion of our festivities for the year.”  He smiles graciously and politely nods to the crowd, “I thank you all for coming.”  He bows, “A special thank you to your guests for joining us this evening.  Take care on your return...home”  

The gathering cheers and applauds a successful Revel then they all head for the door.  Lucifer’s glamour returns as the last grain of sand falls in the hourglass and he approaches Chloe with a happy but tired smile.  She pulls the mask off her face and smiles as she peels the prosthetic adhesive off.  

Lucifer pours himself a whiskey as he stands between his demon and his best friend, “The most fun I’ve had at one of these so far, ladies.”  He raises his glass in a toast, “Thank you.”

Chloe leans over, intending to bump his shoulder but ends up simply leaning into him and resting her head on his arm, “It wasn’t as creepy as I expected.  It was actually interesting.”  She yawns, “And I’m really tired.”

He nods, “I’ll be happy to call you an Uber, Detective.”

She gives him a sleepy smile and snuggles further against his arm, “No.  This is good.”

His eyebrows go up and he tosses back his drink, “Detective?”

Chloe looks up at him, blinks, then reaches down the take his hand, threading their fingers.  “I’m trying something new.  But first, sleep.”

He smiles softly and gives her hand a gentle squeeze, then he looks at Maze.  “I suppose we will see you later, Maze.”

The demon grins at her best friends and juts her jaw toward the elevator, “Go.  I’ll take care of the candles then go home.”  She winks, “Sleep well.”


End file.
